Card doffer cheek cleaning



June 11, 1968 o. L. LANDERS ETAL 3,

CARD DOFFER CHEEK CLEANING Filed July 30, 1964 INVENTORS ons. L. LANDERS Y MALCOLM McKENZlE gmmawm AT TORNEY.

United States Patent 3,387,335 CARD BUFFER CHEEK CLEANENG Qtis lL. Landers and Malcolm L McKenzie, Qharlotte, NEG, asstgnors to lneumatil Corporation, Charlotte, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 3t}, 1964. der. No. 3%,177 5 @laims. ('Jl. 191tl7) This invention relates to the art of textile card cleaning, more particularly to improved suction cleaning apparatus eliminating the accumulation of piles of waste at the sides of the doffer cylinder on a textile card.

As with most textile processing equipment, so in the case of the textile card, it is found necessary to supervise and clean the equipment to remove undesired accumulations of waste such as lint, fly, and the like materials from the surface of the equipment which unless removed interferes with the desired fiber processing. In carding operations, especially at high speeds, waste is thrown out of the card at the gap formed between the end of the doffer cylinder, the card base, and the dotfer shrouds. This waste piles up on the top side of the card base forward of the dofifer cylinder bearings, and with time the accumulations of waste at this point commonly referred to as cheeks reach the edge of the card web. When the edge of the card web is reached by the accumulation of waste, bits of the waste material are pulled into the web interfering with the desired quality thereof, and additionally the edges of the web are damaged by contact with the pile of waste.

It is with the above problems and desiderata in mind, that the present means including both method and apparatus have been evolve-d, means serving to prevent undesired accumulations of waste at the edge of the doffer cylinder, serving to minimize necessary supervision and manual cleaning, and permitting an increase in card speed.

It is accordingly among the primary objects of this invention to provide automatic removal of piles of waste from textile carding equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and effective equipment which may readily be applied to existing cards to prevent the accumulations of piles of waste adjacent the doffer cylinders of the cards.

A further object of the invention is to provide means improving the efficiency of operation of a card so as to prevent the accumulations of waste thrown out of the card between the gap between the ends of the dotler cylinder, the card base and the dotfer shrouds from interfering with the carding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide waste removal means for a card permitting an increase in carding speed.

These and other objects of the invention which will become hereafter more apparent are achieved by arranging a suction tube across the top of the dotfer cylinder, extending parallel to the axis thereof and between opposite ends of the cylinder. Extending downwardly from this suction tube are pick-up tubes having an inlet orifice arranged adjacent the gap between the doffer cylinder and the card base. The suction tube is coupled to a suction source, which may be energized continuously or intermittently depending on the type of operation to be efifected. In use, any accumulations of waste between the ends of the doffer cylinder and the card base are picked up by the suction pick-up tubes and carried away to a remote source for collection or reprocessing.

A feature of the invention resides in the fact that by the utilization of relatively small dimensioned tubes, desired cleaning may be efiected without interfering with access to the card or operation of the card.

Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that the utilization of the herein disclosed suction equipment permits an increase in the speed of the card.

The specific details of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed out in clear, concise and exact terms in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the doffer end of a card showing the improved suction cleaning equipment applied thereto; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the suction cleaning equipment showing a preferred arrangement thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employed to designate like parts.

The improved suction cleaning equipment 10, as best seen in FIG. 2, comprises a suction tube of a length preferably equal to the length of the doifer cylinder in connection with which the suction cleaning equipment is to be employed. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the suction tube is made of polyvinyl chloride tubing having an external diameter of between 2 and 3 inches. The suction tube is coupled via appropriate conduit 12 to a suction source of any suitable type such for example as a collector unit of the Pneumafil type such as shown in U.S. Patent 3,086,348.

Pick-up tubes 15 and 16 are connected to the ends of suction tube 11, as seen in FIG. 2, with the spacing between the inlet orifices 17 and 18 respectively of the pick-up tubes 15 and 16 being equal to the distance between the ends of the dotfer cylinder to be cleaned. The pick-up tubes are also preferably formed of polyvinyl chloride tubing having .an external diameter of between 1% and 3 inches. The inlet orifices 17 and 18 of pick-up tubes 15 and 16 lie in a plane at a 45-degree angle to the axes of the pick-up tubes as seen in the drawings.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the connection between the pick-up tubes 15 and 16 and the suction tube 11 is effected by means of a T 20, as seen to the left in FIG. 2, a 45-degree L 21, and appropriate intermediate tubing. Pick-up tube 16 is connected by means of a 45-degree L 21 and a -degree L 22.

In use, the suction cleaning assembly 10 is arranged on the card 25, as best seen in FIG. 1. Card 25, only the doffer end of which is here illustrated, is formed with the conventional doffer cylinder 26 having doffer cylinder journals 27 and 23 extending from opposite ends thereof. A card base 36 with laterally extending flanges 31 and 32 on opposite ends thereof supports the card components in conventional fashion. The card cleaning equipment 10 is positioned as illustrated with suction tube 11 extending over the doffer cylinder 26 with pick-up tube 17 and 18 positioned immediately over the card base flanges 31 and 32 adjacent the gap between the card base flanges 31 and 32, and the ends of doifer cylinder 26.

An L-shaped clamp bracket 35 is secured to the free edge of dofi er bonnet 36, and worm drive clamps 37 or the like fastening members are affixed to the bracket 35 for engagement and support of the tube 11.

Operation In use, the installation of the cleaning equipment 10 with respect to the card 25 is effected by aflixing brackets 35 to the edge of doffer bonnet 36, and the equipment is engaged by the band of clamp 37, as described. Either continuous or intermittent collection of any accumulations of waste along the flanges 31 and 32 may be obtained. It is preferred that continuous operation be af fected to prevent any inadvertent pick-up of the waste by the card web. However, intermittent operation may be employed if desired.

In operation, utilizing a continuous suction system, any tendency for waste to accumulate along the flanges 31 and 32 is eliminated by virtue of the fact that any waste deposited there such as normally occurs during operation of the card is picked up by the pick-up tubes 15 and 16 and fed to a collection point.

In a preferred installation, it is found that utilizing an air quantity and pressure of about 125 c.f.rn. at 1.3" W.G. gives satisfactory results utilizing pick-up tubes having a 2%" O.D., on a card having a 38 lap.

By virtue of the positioning of the card cleaning equipment as illustrated, it is found that necessary carding adjustments may be effected with minimal interference by the cleaning equipment, and the relatively small dimensions of the equipment do not interfere with carding operation.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation, and not by Way of limitation, and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a textile card having a dofier cylinder and a dotfer bonnet mounted on a card base, a suction tube extending across the cylinder secured to the dofier bonnet; at least one downwardly extending pick-up tube connected to said suction tube, said pick-up tube having an inlet orifice at the end of the doffer cylinder closely adjacent the gap between the cylinder and the base.

2. In a textile card as in claim 1, a pick-up tube on opposed ends of said dofier cylinder.

3. In a textile card as in claim 1 said inlet orifice lying in a plane at a 45 degree angle to the axis of the tube.

4. A method of preventing the accumulations of cheeks of waste adjacent the space between the base and the doffer cylinder of a textile card, said method comprising the steps of establishing an air flow path at a fixed location closely adjacent the end of the doifer cylinder with an opening to the air flow path at the space between the cylinder and the card base; and entraining any foreign matter accumulating at and above the base at the ends of the doffer cylinder in said airstrearn.

5. A method as in claim 4 in which said air flow path is open to the atmosphere at a point adjacent the point of collection of foreign matter along a plane at a 45 degree angle to the axis of air flow.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,327,696 1/1920 Boozer 19l09 3,100,914 8/1963 Milnes 19109 2,426,312 8/1947 Lewis et al. 19939 X FOREIGN PATENTS 519,897 2/1921 France.

15,415 1903 Great Britain. 838,138 6/1960 Great Britain. 921,361 3/1963 Great Britain. 38/1,025 2/1963 Japan.

74,406 10/ 1949 Norway. 268,449 4/ 1927 Great Britain.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TEXTILE CARD HAVING A DOFFER CYLINDER AND A DOFFER BONNET MOUNTED ON A CARD BASE, A SUCTION TUBE EXTENDING ACROSS THE CYLINDER SECURED TO THE DOFFER BONNET; AT LEAST ONE DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PICK-UP TUBE CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION TUBE, SAID PICK-UP TUBE HAVING AN INLET ORIFICE AT THE END OF THE DOFFER CYLINDER CLOSELY ADJACENT THE GAP BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND THE BASE. 